Battery.



PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

W. C.'BANKS.

BATTERY. PPLIOATION FILED 00T. 22,1904.

2 SHBETS--SHEBT 2.

UNITED STATES Patented April 1s, 1905'.

VILLIAM O. BANKS, OF NEW YORK, N.*Y.

BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION 'Orin'iing part of Letters Patent N0. 787,716, dated April 18, 1905.

i Application filed October 22, 1904. Serial No. 229,535.

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that 'LWILLIAM C. BANKS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Batteries, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad 4 to the accompanying drawings, forming part of the same, in whichW Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view of one cell of a battery embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a planview o the elementsupporting base.V Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a form of tube l prefer to employ. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a supporting and insulating plate. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the current-collecting cup, which also constitutes the base and inner wall of the depolarizer basket or holder. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the depolariZer-basketci. e., its outer walland Fig. 7 is a similar View of a modification in which the cup and the outer Wall are Limited.

My invention consists in constructing the,

of the parts and their ready recharging as well as renders them susceptible of convenient packing for shipment.

In the embodiment of this invention here shown, J is the jar, which may be of glass or any other suitable material. The one represented is about six by eight inches. jar I place a base or support S in the form of a porcelain tripod, with a central orifice O and feet F, having (preferably) knees n to carry the zinc Z. The interior walls of the orifice O are provided with the grooves g of a bayonet-joint, as shown.

T is a porcelain tube of a size adapted to tit neatly (but not too tightly) in the orice O and provided with lugs Z on opposite sides adapted to take into the grooves g and in connection with their walls to lock the parts S and T together. An indentation g is preferably leit at the top to leave space for the head of the binding-Screw. A further lug or col- In this" lar Z' is sometimes formed on tube T at about the level of the upper edge of the zinc to assist in supporting the upper parts.

P is an insulating and supporting plate, usually a flat perforated disk of porcelain with an oriice O to permit its being put over the end oi' the tube T and passed down till it rests upon the top ot' Zinc Z or lug Z', one or both. Its use as asupport is not indispensable; but some insulation, either a vacant or occupied space, must exist between the zinc and the depolarizer-basket, and this plate answers exceedingly well and at the same time adds materially to the strength of the combination.

Next in order is the cup C, formed as a hollow tube of a size to accommodate tube T and a length suilicient to extend above the intended level of the solution to be used, with an annular disk or base b (oil such area as is desired for the depolariZer-holder) secured to the tube t and provided with an upwardlyextending flange f, projecting from its lperiphery. At its upper end it is provided with a binding-screw s.

B is the remaining wall of th'e depolarizerbasket. It may be a cylinder of perforated tin of suitable width set in cup O or it may be simply a strip of tin bent' into a cylindrical form and then placed in the cup. A wire w, riveted to the zinc, as shown, and then led down to the lower end of the tube T and through that tube, constitutes the other terminal.

Upon filling the basket With a depolarizersuch, for instance, as black oxid of copperM and pouringa suitable energizing solution into the jar the battery is ready for use.

If preferred, the cup O and basket portion Bmay be soldered or otherwise secured together, as shown in Fig. 7; but for some purposes the other form is preferable.

It will be noticed that the parts are all so constructed that, like a knockdown box, they may be readily taken apart and conveniently stowed in packing, a feature of great moment when breakage and freight are under consideration. Parts that pack closely and are without a multiplicity of corners not only take less space themselves, but they need less ma- IOO terial about them to insure their safety and space is gained in both ways, thereby materially reducing the charges for transportation as well as the loss from breakage. Not only so, but the porcelain parts may be much more easily molded when as shown than if they were in one piece. Again, when the Zinc and the depolarizer have been spent this battery may be most conveniently recharged.

One may seize the upper end of tube T and readily remove the parts from the jar, then draw the basket 0H the tube, and pull the perforated. strip B from its place, Where the depolarizer may be easily shaken from the cup. The zinc may as readily be removed and a new one placed, removing the disk for the purpose.

The tedious cleaning out of baskets to which the depolarizer has become fastened is avoided, since the piece B may be thrown away, its cost being but a very little. Beyond and above these points, however, lies the fact that the cup portion of the basket is a much more efficient current-collector than is the part B, and a depolariZer-basket formed wholly of such material as that of B with a terminal secured to its upper outer edge gives by no means such good results, electrically considered, as the form having cup and perforated wall combined. The location of the depolarizer above the Zinc is also a point of merit, and the leading of the circuit-wire from the Zinc to and through the porcelain tube is another' detail which still further obviates objectionable action in the cell.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a battery the combination of a jar, an

' insulating-support for the positive element,

2. In a battery the combination of a jar, an insulating-support for the positive element, an insulating-tube matched to tit to and lock with said support and extending upward from said support to a point above the intended solution-line, a positive element resting on said support a depolarizer-basket, insulated fromthe positive element and provided with a terminal and a connection leading from the positive element to and through said insulating-tube all substantially as set forth.

3. In a battery,`the combination of a jar, an insulating-Zinc support, a zinc thereon, an insulating tube extending upward from said support, an insulating-plate above the zinc and around the tube, a depolarizerbasket with outer perforated walls, inner walls surrounding said insulating-tube and a base resting above the insulating-plate and completing the basket inclosure, together with terminals and connections, all substantially as set forth.

4. In a battery, the combination of a jar, an insulating-zinc support, an insulating-tube, locked to but detachable from the zinc-support, and extending from said support to a' point above the intended solution-line, a Zinc surrounding said tube and resting upon said support, an insulating-plate placed over the zinc and about the tube, an annular' depolarizer-basket placed on said plate and surrounding said tube and composed of a tube about the insulating-tube, an outer wall and a base extending from the inner to the outer wall, a connection leading from the Zinc to the lower part of the insulating-tube and up throug'h said tube and a terminal secured to the Lipperend of the tube portion of the depolarizerbasket, all substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 29th day of September, 1904.

WM. C. BANKS.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. HAYNEs, JAMES H. Vi'TILLIAMs. A 

